Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

Recognizing how rare it is for a foreign woman to be accepted for intensive meditation instruction in one of Thailands Buddhist temples, this extraordinary account follows the authors experience from the inside, describing her journey into the self and the expansion of her consciousness. The intimate narrative relates her struggles and fears—some euphoric, some terrifying, some in the form of psychedelic visions, and some genuinely threatening. The authors mission to achieve “compassion without attachment” is recounted, detailing how she pursued a living flow with the universe that ultimately transformed her life. Composing an intellectually disciplined attempt to understand what Buddhist meditation techniques have to offer the Western world—where so many are caught in an uncontrollable cycle of destruction—this New Age companion reveals the key to accessing the arts powerful secrets.

Review

"A fine and sensitive piece of writing." —Buddhist Quarterly

Review

"Warmly written, full of emotions, experiences, and very compelling reading." —Yoga Today

Synopsis

Recognizing how rare it is for a foreign woman to be accepted for intensive meditation instruction in one of Thailand's Buddhist temples, this extraordinary account follows the author's experience from the inside, describing her journey into the self and the expansion of her consciousness. The intimate narrative relates her struggles and fears--some euphoric, some terrifying, some in the form of psychedelic visions, and some genuinely threatening. The author's mission to achieve "compassion without attachment" is recounted, detailing how she pursued a living flow with the universe that ultimately transformed her life. Composing an intellectually disciplined attempt to understand what Buddhist meditation techniques have to offer the Western world--where so many are caught in an uncontrollable cycle of destruction--this New Age companion reveals the key to accessing the art's powerful secrets.

About the Author

Jane Hamilton-Merritt is a journalist and a photographer. She is the author of Boonmee and the Lucky White Elephant and Tragic Mountains. She is a former war correspondent, a Pulitzer Prize nominee for her work on the Vietnam War, and a two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee for her work on behalf of the Hmong tribal people of Laos. She lives in Denver, Colorado.